NATAL, Brazil – A repeat of their first fight, it certainly was not. It started as a mirror opposite.

But in the third round, just when it looked like Dan Henderson would need to mount a big comeback against Mauricio Rua, the way Rua did against him more than two years prior, “Hendo” shut it all down with the weapon he’s best known for.

With one giant right hand, Henderson knocked “Shogun” to the canvas, and a few shots later, he had the night’s improbable ninth upset in 11 fights – and a statement that perhaps rumors of his demise have been exaggerated.

Rua took the center of the cage as Henderson circled outside in the early going. And Henderson landed a right hand counter on a “Shogun” kick 25 seconds in. Rua looked to land leg kicks in the first 90 seconds, and Henderson did little to check them early. But two minutes in, Henderson fired back with one of his own. The two briefly tied up midway through, but there was little to come of things on the ground. With a minute left in the round, the two briefly tied up for “Shogun” to land a knee.

With 40 seconds left in the round, though, Henderson wobbled Rua, then looked to finish with punches and knees up against the cage. But Rua winged back, and not only survived the blitz, but nearly got a finish, himself. He dropped Henderson with a left hand, and then pounced on him with 30 seconds to go. But with Henderson on the ropes, he was able to withstand it to get to the horn.

Both fighters ate punches 30 seconds into the second round, and then tied up. A tired takedown attempt for Henderson was well off the mark, and Rua shrugged him away. And right after that, Rua landed a major uppercut right that put Henderson on the canvas. On his back, Henderson got defensive and held on to recover. Rua tried to posture up for strikes, but Henderson kept him close in guard. With 45 seconds left, referee Herb Dean stood them up for inactivity, and Henderson again got to the end of the round. He wouldn’t have to worry about surviving the round in the third.

Henderson swung big with his right early in the third, but whiffed. Then he tried to come forward and landed one, backing “Shogun” up. Rua tried to pepper off his jab after that. But it was clear Henderson was looking for his legendary right hand.

And with immaculate timing, Henderson landed that right from some other kind of planet. He dropped Rua to the canvas, then pounced on him. He landed another right to the nose, then a few to the side of the head. Henderson then looked at Dean, believing Rua was out. Dean then jumped in to shut things down. As Rua tried to stand up immediately afterward, he collapsed to his back, still wobbled – and likely with a wickedly broken nose.

“This one probably means more than most. ‘Shogun’ has been such a big part of mixed martial arts, and such a talented and tough fighter. The year I had last year, coming off that, I wanted to make sure I got a win. I was a little too patient in the beginning of the fight. It just means a lot more to me than most fights if I can beat a guy like ‘Shogun.’

“He definitely dinged me alittle. He rung my bell just a tad in the first round, also, and again in the second. I Decided just to be patient. I wasn’t very offensive, and that third round I think we both decided to get after it and leave things where we left them the first fight. I’m such a big fan of ‘Shogun’s’ and what he’s done for the sport and how he represents himself in the sport. So thank you for bringing the best out of me, as well.”

Henderson (30-11 MMA, 7-5 UFC) snapped the first three-fight skid of his career. Rua (22-9 MMA, 6-7 UFC) is back in the loss column after his December knockout of James Te-Huna.